It takes a whole village to make these highly prized mushrooms! These cardo mushrooms are tender and meaty, and grow wild near thistle plants. Villagers hunt for them across the forests of the central Pyrenees and bring them to our friend Ignacio, who cooks them in extra virgin olive oil. These buttery mushrooms are irresistible!

Cardo mushrooms are wild oyster mushrooms, highly prized for their delicate, meaty texture and rich flavor. They’re frequently dried, but we prefer this method of preserving them in olive oil.

Our friend Ignacio lives near the ancient city of Zargoza, near the foothills of the central Pyrenees begin. In these forests, retired locals forage for the mushrooms, heading to their favorite secret spots. They grow near thistle plants, called 'cardos' in Spain. 'Setas' refers to any wild mushroom.

Ignacio cleans the mushrooms and cooks them in olive oil before putting them in jars to preserve them. One jar goes a long way – their silky flavor is powerful, and addictive.

If you’ve ordered beef tenderloin or even a side of polenta at a top restaurant in Spain, the dishes are often garnished with these mushrooms. A small spoonful of these mushrooms will add an irresistible complexity to any dish they touch!